Tumakohua Pass (South Pass) – Fakarava (Tuamotu)

Site Overview

Tumakohua Pass, also known as the South Pass, is Fakarava's legendary dive site and the location of the famous wall of sharks where hundreds of grey reef sharks congregate in one of the most spectacular marine life aggregations on the planet. This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site offers a diving experience that is genuinely life-changing for most visitors, as the sheer density of sharks in the narrow pass channel creates an overwhelming sensory experience that challenges every preconception about these magnificent predators and their role in healthy marine ecosystems. During the grouper spawning aggregation that occurs annually in June and July, hundreds of marbled groupers gather in the pass to release their eggs in a synchronised reproductive event that attracts predators from across the atoll including sailfish, larger sharks, and various pelagic species that converge on the pass to feast on the concentrated food source. The grey reef sharks form dense aggregations that stretch from the surface to the bottom of the pass, their sleek bodies stacked in layers as they patrol the current with their characteristic steady cruising movements that betray no aggression toward divers despite their overwhelming numbers. The pristine coral walls lining the pass are among the healthiest in the Tuamotus, protected by the UNESCO Biosphere designation from the fishing pressure and environmental degradation that has affected reef systems elsewhere in the region. Whale sharks make seasonal appearances at the pass entrance, adding an extraordinary dimension to an already world-class diving experience.